Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-02
BILLY KISSANE.
Recorder Smythe Refuses to take Action
on that Old Indictment Until the
Californian is Heard From.
Lawyer Hart Adds a Chapter or Two to
tho History Which has Created
Such a Sensation.

NEW I DIRK, april 1.-h6COTQ6T SmYLh6
at the general session to-day heard ar
gument on the motion of Counsellor J,
B. Hart of San Francisco to nave nolle
prOsseQui entered on an indictment for
forgery on file in the District Attorneys
Office against William Kissane, now
wealthy and influential citizen of San
Francisco. The indictment was for for
gerry of a check for Sl2, 200 in 1854 against
the Chemical Bank of this city. Coun-
sellor Jones appeared for the bank, and
opposed the motion. He said Kissane
had not made any restitution to the
bank for the money thus obtained in
criminal manner, although it appears
he was well-to- do. Lawyer Jones sub
mitted an affidavit made by the cashier of
the bank, which set forth that the bank
had suffered loss of S26, $50 by Kissane's
forgeries.
District Attorney MARITIME favored dis
missing the indictment, considering the
length o. time elapsed, and that KIssane
had reformed and was heading an honest
life. Everything considered, he was not
disposed to call the case for trial at this
late day.
Recorder Smythe was not SO willing to
dismiss the matter. He said there was
no evidence that Lawyer Hart was acting
with Kissane's consent, and intimated
that he would require assurances on this
point before taking action. A telegram
from the principal IN the case would be
sufficient. The parties then left court.
The Herald this morning prints the
following in regard to the wonderful life
of "Billy" Kissane: Kissaue is we'll
known to the most prominent Cali
forpians. He has for years been very
active in state politics, an inflaentta
delegate to conventions and man who
was always consulted in q division
of the spoils. He never himself,
however, ran for office that was
higher than that of county
supervisor. He is Democrat like the
man whom he has selected to act as his
counsel. Senator George Hearst is an
old friend of mis- and would, it Is said,
speak favorably of him, knowing only the
history of that part Of his life which he
has passed in the G jlden State. 1t is not
unintere sting to know that the attorney
whom Klssane sent to this city to make
the motion before Recorder Smythe,
which is to be decided this morning, to
dismiss the untried indictment Of 1854,
was an acquaintance Of the former in his
youth, but lost sight Of him for fifteen
years until the moment when he again
met him in California. "Then,"
said his attorney, who is Mr.. !
J. B. Hart of San Francisco, last |
evening, l should not have known him |
but for certain circumstances, and even |
to-day could not take my oath that he is
the same Billy Kissane, who, in 1849, was |
clerk in Lott Pdgh's great pork packing |
in Cincinnati" / know |
nothing about these charges Of crime |
except what l have discovered |
by searching legal reports. Kissane, as l
have intimated, was known to me in Gin
cinnati when l kept a store in Hamilton.
The records show that he was accused of |
being an accomplish in the burning of the |
steamer Martha Washington on the Mis-
sissippi river, together with Cummings,
Duane and others. He was tried at Gin
cinnati on an Indictment for attempting
to sWindle the insurance companies. The
was very exhaustive, and he
was acquitted. Subsequently the judicial
authorities of Helena, Ark, near which !
place the cOnfagration occurred, obtained |
custody of his body and tried him for
murder, one person having lost his life
on the steamer. Hewas again acquitted.
have the history OF both
cases. The 1854 forgeries were
which caused a loss
Of $4,000 to the Chemical Bank. In No
vember he was indicted. There is no dis
position to deny his guilt in connection
with these cases. We will only say that
he has outlived it. went to California
in l849. In 1857 met Kissane out there
under the name which he now bears. l
learned that his first venture
in the state was the keeping of d store
IN Sacramento. Probably he made
a little money at that, for he engaged in
mining at Gold Hill, New, with a part
ner, and together thy achieved CREST sue
cess. In few years Kissane had amassed
between 100000 aud S500,000," Mr.
Hart was reluctant to say much Of
4 definite nature regarding Kis-
'ane's present possessions. but
said there was an exaggerated
dea abroad regarding them. Twenty
years ago he married beautiful young
ady, who was twenty years his junior.
They have now either seven or eight
children. The wife is about forty five
years old. She is amiable and beneh;eDt
If disposition, and is much loved by all
who know her. Kissane bears his sixty
I've years well, and is regarded by
nearly all of his neighbors as man of
he highest character. He lives in Sonora
county. Mr.. Hart denounced the motive
If both the Chemical Bank officers and
General Darr as blackmail, ana says it
vas in order to head this off that he
made the application to dismiss the IL
iictment. Darr had written not
only to the authorities here but
20 those at Helena and Cincinnati
IS well, to induce them to make appiica-
ion for the extradition of Kissane 81
believe, myself" said Mr.. Hart, "that
BARR expects to divide with the Chemical
Rank the proceeds of this claim, should
IIssane pay it " The attorney didn't
ieny that his client would satisfy the de-
nandS of the Chemical Bank rather than
lave his present name and connections
exposed "If, however," he added,
'DaIr and these people insist upon
PRESSING the judicial phase of this
matter, we shall begin criminal
c;ion against them at once for black !
nail. 1t is for that contingent object
hat ex Congressman Barclay Henley mas I
een retained. Why, sir, the attorneys {